laidlaw



(No Moglel.) '2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. LAIDLAW.

APPARATUS r011 DYEING YARN. No. 501,517. Patented July 18, 189 3.

FIG?

UNITE STATES PATENT OFF CE.

WILLIAM LAIDLAW, OF HAWIOK, SCOTLAND.

APPARATUS FOR DYEING YARN.

srnorrrca'rron forming part of Letters was a... 501,517, dated July 18,1893.

Application filed August 24, 1892. Serial No. 443,941. (No model.)Patented in England October 21, 1890, No. 16,751; in

France August 21, 1891, No. 215.634. and in Belgium August 22. 1891.1To.96,119.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM LAIDLAW, a

subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Hawick,in the county of Roxburgh, Scotland, have invented certain Improvementsin Apparatus for the Dyeing of Yarnand other Fiber, (for which I haveobtained Letters Patent in England, No. 16,751, dated October 21, 1890;in France, No. 215,634., dated August 21, 1891, and in Belgium, No.96,119, dated August 22, 1891,) of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my invention is the more effectual dyeing, of yarns andthe like by mechanical means in less time and with less labor thanhitherto, and in such a manner that pirling or looping and entangling ofthe yarn during the operation of dyeing is prevented and consists ofplacing the fiber loose within a series of perforated cages of novelconfiguration attached to endless chains passing over pulleys mounted onframework constructed in a manner that it may be lifted clear or loweredinto the dye vat while the pulleys, chains, and perforated cages are inmotion, the said framework when in its normal position resting in thebottom of the dye Vat and by the motion of the pulleys and chains thecages are mechanically immersed in the dye liquor any number of timesuntil the fiber is effectually dyed.

In describing my invention in detail reference is made to theaccompanying drawings in which- Figure 1. represents a sectionalelevation of my apparatus through line a. b. Fig. 2. is a plan; Fig. 3.a front elevation; Fig. 1. a View of a cage suitable for holding theyarn or other fiber to be dyed, and Fig. 5. is an enlarged elevation ofthe clutch plates.

The dye vat indicated by the letter A. for holding the dye liquor may bepartly inserted below the floor line A. in the same manner as the vatsof ordinary machines, and at each corner of the vat A. is secured anangular upright bar ]3.for guiding and keeping the framework C. in theposition within the said vat.

To the framework (3. which maybe raised and lowered in the dye vat aremounted a number of pulleys D. suitable for carrying endless pitchchains of the usual construction, which are represented by the dottedlines and to which are mounted on pivots a series of perforated cages F.in such a manner that, the sides thereof are always somewhat verticaland pass through the apparatus in the directionofthe arrows.

Motion to the endless chains E. may be obtained from the shaft G.mounted to brackets H. attached to the vat A. and provided with a fastand loose pulley J and J. On one end of the said shaft'is mounted a pairof clutch plates P. and P. constructed in the manner as hereinafterdescribed, and on the boss ofo'ne'of these clutch plates is secured aspur Wheel K, gearinginto the teeth of spur wheel K. and upon the saidshaft within and near to the framework 0. are secured one at each sideof the machine pitch chain pulleys D. by which motion is communicated tothe respective endless pitch chains E. and perforated cages F. attachedthereto. The pitch chains E. are kept in contact with the teeth of theordinary pitch chain pulleys D. D. by means of additional pulleys D oneof which is mounted at each side ofthe machine on an arm L. and in sucha position that, the pitch chains are supported and the opposite side ofthe chains kept in gear with the teeth of the driving pulleys D.

To the belt fork bar M. is attached a lever N. secured on a shaft S.supportedby suitable journals, and on the shaft is also secured a leverN. extending on the front of the machine and terminating with anexpanded or tread portion N so that the operator standing at the frontof the machine can actuate the belt guide and belt by means of his foot,the arm of the lever being balanced by the lever and weight attached tothe shaft S.

The framework C. and pulleys D. may be raisedclear of the interior ofthe vat A. by mounting the'driving pulleys D. and retaining pulleys D inthe manner described; motion being communicated to the pitch chains E.in all positions of the framework 0. and to the pulleys D mountedthereon.

The yarn or other fibrous materialis placed in the perforated cages F.through a suitable door formed by one of the sides being made to openand is placed therein by preference when the framework 0. is raised outof the vat A. The endless chains E. may then be eration of dyeing, asthe hanks lie'loosely within the perforated cages, thus allowing theliquor to act evenly on all parts, and by frequent immersion all thethreads are .dyed without-anydeleterius efiect on the yarn when dried.

The cages F. are supported at the ends by pivots projecting from theendless chains E. and the center of each cage is contracted in area,thus leaving the ends of the hanks of yarn freer than the center bywhich the fiber is more effectually dyed and the pirling or looping andentangling of the threads prevented.

In order to provide means whereby the ratation of the cages may bestopped should anything become entangled with the cages, I mount on theshaft G. a pair of clutch plates; plate P. being secured on the shaft G.andP. having thespur wheel K. securedon the boss thereof mounted looselyon the shaft, but kept in contact with fixed plate P. by. means of howspring T. The face of each plate is provided with angular teeth kept ingear by means of the bow spring T. the pressure of which is adjusted bythe nut U. and should the power required to drive the machine becomegreater than the friction applied to the clutch plates by the pressureof the spring T. the angular teeth on the fixed clutch plate P. willforce the sliding clutch, plate P. and

wheel K. on the shaft G. and thus stop the machine.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a dyeing apparatus the vat, theframe work 0, capable of having vertical movement relatively to the vat,the guides for said frame Work, the pulleys D, carried by the framework, the chain carrying the cages F, and passing over the pulleys, andmeans adapted to operate the chain in all the vertical positions of theframe work, substantially as described.

2. In a dyeing apparatus, the vat, the frame work having vertical adjustment, the guides, thepulleys and chains carried by the frame work andoperating means adapted to operate the chains and. pulleys in all thevertical positions of the frame work, substantially as described.

3. In combination, the vat, the vertically adjustable frame Work, theguides-therefor, the pulleys, and chains carried by the frame work, thedrive chain Wheels D, supported on a stationary part and engaging thechains, the means for operating the said pulleys and. the means forkeeping the chains in engagement therewith consisting of the pulleys Dand the yielding support therefor carried by a stationary part of theframe Work adjacent to the drive chain pulley D, substantially asdescribed.-

4. In combination, in a dyeing apparatus,

the vat, the pulleys and carrying chains, the supporting means for thesame and the per-

